Spiced Vanilla Donuts with Cacao and Rose Glaze

Donuts for everyday! I actually recipe tested these ingredients first as a Spiced Pumpkin Cake for Thanksgiving — and it turned out so well that I figured i’d try re-create it as donuts (minus the pumpkin) for an event with Robyn Youkilis. Luckily, it worked! PHEW!

TBH though, I do need to get back in the kitchen this week and recipe test these again— just to be sure I didn’t add anything extra while I was deep in my kitchen meditation zone (aka, when I pour ingredients in bowls without real measurements and play) BUT in the meantime I’d love to hear your feedback on making them in your own kitchen (and adding in any new cool ingredients or subtracting and so on!) and during the process If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to DM me at @citrinekitchen and tag #CitrineDonutPlay !

Let me know what you think! XO

What You’ll Need

1-2 donut molds or pans (I use a silicon large donut mold)**
1 x Food Processor (I did it by hand in a large mixing bowl— BUT it’s so fast in one of these dreamy machines!)

** OK, so you can use a donut baking pan (which does honestly make the donuts more crispy on the outside/ yummy) but i’ve tried this multiple times and sometimes it works and other times it just sticks and you lose most of your batch— and tears sometimes too. If you go this route, my only advice is to use a lot of coconut oil to grease/er, fry it very well! On reflection, I may just of had the WORST donut pan ever— so if this works in your pan, let me know! I’d love recommendations!!!

Spiced Vanilla Donuts

[makes around 8 large donuts]

2 cups almond flour (you want the fine kind)
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup arrowroot powder
3 flax eggs (flaxseed meal + water)
1/2 cup maple (subs: coconut nectar, raw honey — or 1/4 cup maple + some monk fruit or stevia)
1/3 cup coconut oil (or grass-fed ghee)
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup nut mylk
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp Himalayan salt

Cacao and Rose Glaze

1/2 cup cacao butter (sub: coconut butter— but cacao is my personal fave)
2 tsp ginger
3 tbsp monk fruit (sub maple or coconut sugar)
1/2 tsp Hibiscus powder (optional color and nutrient boost!)
1 tbsp nut milk (I went with unsweetened almond)
1/2 tsp vanilla powder (if you have it!— otherwise skip)
2-3 tbsp rose petals (optional beauty booster!)

STEPS

Set oven to 350F and grease your silicon mold or donut pan with coconut oil.
Starting first with the donut batter: in your food processor - or large mixing bowl - add in all the dry ingredients and mix mix mix.
Then make your flax eggs: for 3 eggs — mix 3 tbsp of flax seed meal with 9 tbsp of water) — mix it all up into a gooey consistency.
Now that’s done— you can add the flax eggs, along with all other ‘wet’ ingredients to your large mixing bowl/food processor of dry ingredients— and blend it all together! — it should have a pretty thick consistency— but if it feels too thin for whatever reason (maybe me forgetting something?!) — add a dash more almond meal. Too thick?? Add a dash of nut milk and water (just 1-2 tbsps and a deep breath).
Now you are ready for the messier stages! The easiest way to do this i’ve found (and i’ve made a LOT of donuts this year!) is to cut off the corner of a large ziplock bag (or you could use a pastry piping bag like a pro). Then with a large spoon scoop the donut batter into the bag and squeeze it through the hole into the molds (hope that makes sense! DM if not and i’ll send you a how-to-video!).
Bake for 30-35 minutes (check it at the 20 minute mark if using a baking pan as it cooks much quicker!)
Allow your donuts to cool down for about 5-10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack / anywhere they can cool down outside of the pan.
GLAZE time: With a saucepan on low (or using a DIY double boiler) melt your cacao butter (this normally takes about 5 minutes max)— then pour it into a mixing bowl and mix in all the remaining ingredients (minus the rose petals) —- once mixed, allow the glaze to cool down for 10 minutes (this will allow it to thicken up)
Once it’s a little thicker (you don’t want it to be too thick— if it is, add a dash more nut mylk or hot water) and then drizzle the glaze all over the donuts using a spoon— it will be pretty messy — so I like to place the donuts onto a large piece of parchment paper prior to this step! Once each donut is glazed, quickly sprinkle on the dried rose petals (cacao nibs and or freeze-dried raspberries also work REAL nice!).
Place in your refrigerator to set completely prior to serving for about 5-10 minutes.
Storage: Between eating keep the donuts stored in an airtight container. Out of the fridge they will stay fresh for around 2 days, in the fridge 7 days! (You can also freeze them for future noshing anytime!).